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Michigan Football: Why J.J. McCarthy Threw 3 Interceptions

By Cullen Corr

Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before action against the Bowling Green Falcons in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, Sept.16 2023.
Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) warms up before action against the Bowling Green Falcons in Ann Arbor, Michigan on Saturday, Sept.16 2023. /
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Up until 7:30 pm Saturday night, J.J. McCarthy was looking like he would be one of the first QBs taken in the 2024 NFL draft. Then in three throws all of that came crashing down as the dying hopes that desperate Wolverine fans have long had for a notable passing game got bandaged up by a quite impressive light show.

Okay, not really and let’s be fair- this was one game. Chances are still pretty good that JJ will be one of the first QBs off the board come April.

I know at first this performance is a strange combination of frustrating and concerning to Michigan football fans.  But the sky isn’t falling. We’re going to break down just what happened on each of the three interceptions as well as what this means for JJ and the Michigan offense going forward.

Interception #1

Up 7-0 with 4:54 left in the first quarter, Michigan football comes out in a shotgun formation. It’s 2nd and Goal from the five-yard line. Michigan is running 12 personnel meaning they have one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers on the field. McCarthy is going to motion TE Colston Loveland across the formation and look for him in the flat as the primary passing read on the play.

Bowling Green countered this by playing what looked like a condensed field cover three-zone defense. This means that JJ will likely have some time to throw but the windows are going to be tight and it’s going to be hard for a receiver to get wide open.

Bowling Green did a great job taking away the flat route by Loveland off the initial read so JJ is going to look for Roman Wilson coming across the back of the end zone on a slant route. JJ actually does a great job of looking off the defenders covering Roman Wilson initially. Wilson does get open, JJ just waits a little too long and the defender covering AJ Barner on a hitch route drops underneath the throw and is able to pick it off. It wasn’t an awful read but JJ waited too long and looked like he didn’t see the defender dropping back into the throwing lane.

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